Appointment of Bernstein As Minister to Albania Praised As Setting Precedent in Naming of Russian-am

February 17, 1930

The appointment of Herman Bernstein as American Minister to Albania is the subject of favorable comment in many Jewish periodicals of the United States. Both Mr. Bernstein’s personality and his achievements on behalf of Jewish and general causes are praised. President Hoover is also lauded for the appointment.

“For more than thirty years Herman Bernstein has been active in various fields of American-Jewish life,” says an editorial in the “Day.” “As translator, he was among the very first to bring the American public in more intimate contact with the spiritual creations of the East-European countries. As writer, being one of the first East-European Jews in America to write in English, he contributed directly to a better understanding of the Jewish community in the New World. As Jewish communal worker he accomplished much for all national Jewish movements in America and everywhere.

“All this makes Herman Bernstein’s appointment as an American Minister of special importance. We are used to seeing Jews of various political shades of opinion receiving high diplomatic posts, but nearly always these are Jews with a very meagre record of Jewish activity.

“A precedent has been created in giving a diplomatic post to an East-European Jew, who distinguished himself especially in Jewish activities.”

The “Jewish Tribune,” whose editor Mr. Bernstein formerly was, says:

“His principles have always directed his course of action and thinking with utmost fairness to all and prejudice to none; his motives have ever been guided by a genuine altruistic strain. Judged by these standards, President Hoover has demonstrated true wisdom in drafting his services into the intricate machinery of our government.”

The “New Palestine,” official organ of the Zionist Organization, says:

“Although this marks the appointment of a third Jew by Hoover to a diplomatic post in his administration, it is the first time in the history of America that a Russian-born and Russian-bred Jew has been elevated to ministerial rank. To Zionists the news of Mr. Bernstein’s appointment is particularly welcome. For a long time associated with the Zionist movement, Mr. Bernstein, in recent years, has been rendering active service as a member of the Zionist Administrative Committee in the capacity of chairman of the Political Affairs Committee. There are many distinctions to Mr. Bernstein’s credit, particularly in the journalistic field, where his name is internationally known, but it is in the Jewish community where he has cause to be known best.”

“As a writer and editor of wide experience, and as an extensive traveler, Mr. Bernstein knows the world, especially the diplomatic world,” says the Philadelphia “Jewish Exponent.” “His numerous friends in and out of the journalistic profession offer to him their best wishes for success in his latest assignment.”

The Rochester “Jewish Ledger” says:

“His post in Albania will put him into the thick of East-European politics, where his knowledge of the trend of events in that section will be called upon constantly. An interesting aspect of Mr. Bernstein’s appointment is receiving special comment in the Anglo-Jewish press and that is, Bernstein is a Russian-Jewish immigrant. His appointment is regarded as marking in a way the rise of the Russian-Jewish group in America to equality with the German.”